As a Boulder-area transplant, I’m always surprised how many folks choose to remain firmly ensconced inside the Boulder Bubble. While the occasional Denver-based beer festival might get you on an RTD bus, there’s an awesome state out there — and dare I say it has nothing to do with startups and bicycles and marijuana?
If you’re feeling adventurous and ready for a coffee shop where the purveyors don’t know you by name, have a look at the short list below. There’s nothing wrong with being a tourist in your own state — and you might find something cool to do with a friend or two beyond the Boulder Bubble.
Colorado Info: This site, while reminiscent of all the splendor that was Geocities, offers a week-by-week events guide to happenings around the state. Low-tech it might be, but it makes up for it with being high on information. It lists events by city (and in alphabetical order). For example — you can scroll all the way down to the W’s and see that Winter Park is hosting Village UnCorked on Saturday, a wine festival. It’s only a 70-minute drive and you don’t even have to hit the tunnel (which makes WP all the more appealing). Who knows what else you might find with a few on-page scrolls? It’s easy to forget about destinations not on the I-70 ski season corridor — but Aspen and Telluride are mountain towns stuffed to the gills with music, culture, and festivals of all kinds. This site keeps me up to speed on the entire state and is generally my impetus for last-minute trips out of town.
Denver.org: The Cherry Creek Arts Festival begins today. Didya know that? It’s only 30-minutes away and a Front Range event icon and brings artists from around the world to right in front of your eyes. I’d totally spaced this until clicking on this site (guess where I’m going tomorrow?). I love this site because it also includes all of the events beyond the arts scene — museums, science and technology, and sports. It’s pretty well organized and easy to navigate. When I find events that interest me, I’m rarely left wanting for details (there’s nothing worse than a cool event listing with no details, right?).
And maybe your day to venture Beyond the Bubble won’t be today. But that Subarau of yours has all-wheel drive for a reason. I promise it’ll still work once you cross the county line. We live in a great town. There’s a great state out there, just waiting.
